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11.27.2008

We stayed at the Indra Regent Hotel on our latest Bangkok trip. I was pretty excited because it was located right at the heart of Pratunam, one of Bangkok's main shopping areas. On our stay at Indra Regent, however, I had mixed feelings. I didn't know what to expect since the reviews I found on the Internet were pretty inconsistent. Here's a quick review on my recent stay at Indra Regent Hotel.

LOCATION

When we arrived at 11pm Bangkok time, we had no trouble talking to the taxi driver to take us to Indra Regent Hotel. The hotel was easy to locate, and most taxi drivers were familiar with the place already. From Suvarnabhumi Airport, the ride took about 30-45 minutes and it cost us 350 baht. A big lobby in warm orange light greeted us when we arrived. The lobby was pretty, but I thought the lights were too dim for my taste.

When we arrived, no one greeted us right at the door. Check-in was relatively smooth, and a bellboy ushered us to our room right after. We got a superior room at the 9th floor, and my friend really liked the view of the nearby buildings from there.

We weren't able to take pics of our room as we were all excited to tuck ourselves in after a long and tiring flight. The rooms were pretty much basic. It had twin beds with TV, a desk and two chairs, closet and a bathroom with hot and cold shower. That was pretty much it. The interior design wasn't anything fancy or striking, and the hotel even had an old feel. I guess that's pretty much a given since Indra Regent Hotel has been around for several years.

BREAKFAST

Indra Regent Hotel treats their guests to a hearty breakfast on the 5th floor in an open area. There were a lot of selections available, and we truly appreciated this. You could go for the usual pancake/waffle, oatmeal or bread with butter for breakfast. For the health-conscious ones, there's salad and a good selection of fruits. For those who want a heartier meal, they also have sausages, pasta and other meat dishes available.

SERVICE

The staff at Indra Regent Hotel were pretty much helpful and accommodating, but not necessarily polite. They willingly entertained all the questions we had about shopping locations, taxi rates, restaurant locations and even tourist spots.

For those who plan to shop until they drop, you would be happy to know that stores around the Pratunam area are willing to deliver for free to Indra Regent Hotel if you buy a lot from their store. I was able to avail of this service twice, and it helped ease my shopping load a lot. Indra Regent Hotel does not advertise this service though. I had to approach the concierge and ask them about this to get the details on how this service works.

RATES

We were lucky to get a discounted rate from Agoda. Otherwise, the rooms cost about 2,500baht and up. I find it a bit expensive, considering there are a lot of hotel options available in Bangkok with better rates. An extra person in the room would cost more than 1,000baht, regardless of whether you availed of an extra bed or not.

EXTRA CHARGES

I read a review on the Internet that Indra Regent Hotel had a bad habit of charging their guests highly for unneccessary things. I validated this when they tried to charge me for a laundry bag that I got out of the closet. In Manila hotels, I usually use the laundry bag to store used pieces of clothing and they don't mind. In Indra Regent Hotel, however, they tried to charge me 267baht for a measly laundry bag! I returned it to them since the price was highly exorbitant and unreasonable.

REVIEW SUMMARY

All in all, what I liked best about Indra Regent is its location and shopping convenience. Apart from the free delivery service to Indra Regent Hotel for your shopping bags, each floor is also equipped with its own weighing scale to guide travellers on their baggage weight for their flight back home. I also liked their dining area for breakfast and their wide selection of dishes. Apart from these two, I think that Indra Regent Hotel is too expensive for the overall quality of experience they're offering. There may be options around the area that offer better value for my money.

I just got back from Bangkok yesterday, and today I saw in the news chaos at the Bangkok airports. Reports say there were explosions at two Bangkok airports as anti-government protesters stormed the airports to protest the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from the APEC Summit in Peru.

All incoming and outgoing flights to Bangkok were cancelled, and thousands of travellers were stranded in the Bangkok airports. The blasts started on Tuesday at 5am in Suvarnabhumi Airport, and another one followed in Don Muang Airport this Wednesday at 640am.

We left Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12midnight on Tuesday on board a Cebu Pacific flight. I'm pretty shocked to see the sudden turn of events. There's a video of Thai protesters disrupting the airport and punching people. It's a far cry from my perception of Thais, since I've always seen them as friendly and loving people. I thank God that I'm home now. I hope and pray that the tourists stranded in Bangkok right now will also get home safely.

For more information on this event, please refer to the CNN story below:Embedded video from CNN Video

11.19.2008

I've been to Bangkok twice already, and one thing I really love is Bangkok shopping. The city has a variety of shopping options for any traveller that ranges from budget to splurge! If you're a budget shopper, one of the markets that you must go to in Bangkok is Chatuchak.

Chatuchak is a market that opens only on weekends. According to Wikipedia, Chatuchak is the largest market in Bangkok and of the world! It has more than 20,000 stalls that sells everything you need from furniture, clothing, houseware, Thai handicrafts, food, pets and a lot more. With Chatuchak's very big area, one would actually need a map to identify key areas to go to.

The total area is actually divided into several categories for easy reference, but you'll find out that the area is not entirely exclusive to that category shown in the map. Chatuchak Market is exceedingly big! I've been there twice and I think I've only covered barely 1/8 of the total area. It's impossible to cover the entire Chatuchak market in one day. When you go there, you need to have an end in mind. You should ask yourself: "What do I want to bring home?" Chatuchak is certainly not the place to go window shopping or browsing.

When in Chatuchak, you should seriously prioritize your shopping needs. Visit first the area of the market for the goods you need to buy. When you see something you like, buy it. Chances are, you won't be able to go back to that store again. Chatuchak is like a big maze, and it's definitely the place to go all out impulsive on shopping.

Despite its chaotic nature, you'll learn to love Chatuchak for the unique experience that it offers. For one, Chatuchak is a place to hunt for hard bargains. Bargaining in this market is a way of life. Remember to first haggle the item that you want for half the price and start negotiating from there. When you have friends with you, buy together in one store to get wholesale prices.

After a day at Chatuchak, you'll surely go home tired but hopefully happy with the goods you've brought home. I'm not really a fan of the Chatuchak market, but I'm glad I got to visit it for its unique shopping experience. You'll really get to find everything in Chatuchak, especially if you have the patience to go around the market. Who knows? You might even find that life-sized Robocop replica you've always been looking for.

How to Get to Chatuchak

Of course, there's the reliable taxi but you could also take the sky train (BTS) to Mo Chit station. From Mo Chit, you'll see a big park and exit to that side. You need to walk a bit to get to Chatuchak Market. Another way is to take the subway (MRT) to Suan Chatuchak (Chatuchak Park) station.

Chatuchak is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm. It's best to get there early to avoid the huge crowd and midday heat.

11.17.2008

Took this shot when we were on our way to Chatuchak Market, the biggest shopping destination at Bangkok that opens only on weekends. Goods sold there range from pets to furniture to fruits to clothes, and many more! You can literally shop until you drop at this place. With more than 20,000 stalls at Chatuchak Market, it's impossible to cover the place in only a day.

11.15.2008

If you like traveling on a budget, it's important that you choose the best travel agent for you. I'm not a big fan of travel agencies for my trips because I like doing things on my own, and I like scouting the Internet for best travel deals.

When I went abroad for the first time on my own, I asked a friend for advice on the best travel agent for hotel reservations online. He recommended Precision Reservations, and since then I've been using their service for most of my trips abroad. They've relaunched their site to the name Agoda, and here are the top reasons why I consider them the best travel agent on the net:

Great travel deals. Agoda Reservations have a lot of partner hotels worldwide. When I compare their rates to other travel agents, online hotel deals, and even the host hotel site itself, Agoda rates are definitely competitive and cheap. Agoda may not be always perfect in sealing the cheapest deal 100% of the time, but the hit rate is definitely high.

24/7 Customer Service. They're the only site I've seen so far that offers excellent customer service online for its potential customers. You can chat with a travel agent anytime, and they're always polite when they assist you. They would entertain all your travel needs, and they will complete the booking transaction for you as well. You could actually ask them specific questions like the size of the room, hotel rules, and more. You can also enumerate all your hotel requests when you make the booking, and Agoda will arrange them for you. The service makes me feel like I was actually talking to a real person, and this is a huge plus over most Internet booking sites. I can actually secure my hotel booking instantly and hassle-free. This service alone makes them climb up my list on the best travel agent on the web.

Comprehensive travel reviews. Agoda gives incentives for their members when they give reviews on the hotels they stayed in. The reviews are very useful and comprehensive. It really gives anyone a good preview of what the hotel is like. I rely on this to choose the best hotels for my destination, and so far Agoda has delivered me good results.

Agoda actually gives a refund! I really appreciate that Agoda is a very honest and transparent with their business transactions. This is another big reason why they're the best travel agent in my book. When I went to Thailand and arranged for an extra bed online, my companions and I weren't able to use it when we got to the place. I even forgot that I actually paid for an extra bed. Barely a month later after completing my trip, I received good news from the credit card company. Agoda actually refunded me for the amount that I paid for the unused extra bed. Amazing!

A loyalty program that delivers big discounts. Agoda gives its members points for every booking made through them. I don't really believe in loyalty programs done through point system, but Agoda really delivers the good benefits promised on its site. They advertise that they give 4-7% rewards savings, but I feel the total package that they offer is worth so much more. With a couple of bookings made through Agoda, I was able to save $60 from my hotel bill because of the points redeemed from Agoda's loyalty program. Given the right timing and a good number of required points, members could actually stay in Agoda's partner hotels for free.

Agoda really makes it their business to reward their customers for being loyal to them. There may be a lot of companies doing this, but Agoda edges out from all of them by making sure that their customers avail the rewards they deserve. They have very good programs to entice their customers to avail of their service again and again. Since I've used Agoda, I've never looked back and I've been loyal ever since.

11.14.2008

Next week, I'm off to Bangkok. It's my third visit to the country, and I discover something new every time. Bangkok is one of my most favorite cities in Asia, and I always want to go back there after each visit. I love that there are so many places to explore in Bangkok, and I love Thailand's rich culture and warm hospitality.

For my trip to Bangkok next week, I plan to go to Pattaya because I've never been there. Actually, if I really had a choice I'd want to go to their islands Ko Samui and Phi Phi. However, we only got a three-day trip due to our corporate work schedules (boo!) and we cannot afford to miss a day of shopping. We would have to reserve that itinerary for a next visit to Thailand.

I hope I'd get to see their famous elephant show next week. This was taken when we went to the old city of Ayutthaya, but we didn't get the chance to catch an elephant show. I hope I'd get to see the elephants perform in Pattaya.

For those who have visited Pattaya before, what are the must-see places there? Wikitravel is always a good resource, but I would love to hear your suggestions too!

11.12.2008

MANILA – Philippine Airlines introduces a new product, called PAL EconoLight Class, aimed at the budget segment of the market, on all its domestic jet routes as well as selected short-range Asian routes.

The selling period starts today (November 4), while the travel period starts on November 10, 2008.

PAL will allocate seats on these flights for the new product, which is priced lower by up to 93% off regular Fiesta Class (economy) fares, but designed with less passenger amenities than Fiesta Class.

Still, EconoLight Class offers more than competing budget carriers.

Passengers will continue to enjoy PAL’s comfortable aircraft cabin with generous legroom, convenient schedules and seamless connections at NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 in Manila, now boasting an on-time departure average rate of 91.3%.

While snacks are not served, water is available upon request on domestic flights. On the international sectors, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, such as soda, juice, water, coffee and tea, are served with peanuts.

Is it possible to purchase a Philippine Airlines flight for only Php1592 (One Thousand Five Hundred Ninety Two Pesos) only?

Apparently, it is.

Last November 4, Philippine Airlines launched a new product called the PAL Econolight Class.It offers Philippine Airlines flights for budget travellers on all its domestic jet routes and selected short-range routes. Seats for these Philippine Airlines flights are on allocation. Better book early if you want one. It's said to be up to 93% cheaper than Fiesta Class (economy) fares, and I got to find that out for myself today.

I went online to book a Cebu-Manila-Cebu flight for December. First of all, I checked Cebu Pacific to see if I could rebook an existing ticket. With all the fees, I was required to pay more than Php2000 to rebook the flight to December. I decided to check out Cebu Pacific's online site to see their normal flight fares for the time period.

A Cebu-Manila-Cebu roundtrip flight from Cebu Pacific costs more than Php4000! Their rates are pretty deceiving. They post Php4 on the fares page, but they bloat it to almost Php2000 once you check the final amount with the taxes. Next, I checked Philippine Airlines. These days, it's always best to check the two competing airlines to get the lowest fares.

I was very pleased to find out that I could get a Philippine Airlines flight for Cebu-Manila-Cebu for only Php1952! Here's a screen shot of my itinerary:

Don't you think it's a GREAT deal? It costs less than a one-way ticket from Cebu Pacific! For more info on Philippine Airlines' Econolight product, click here.

11.11.2008

Here's a quick guide on how to redeem PAL Mabuhay Miles for extra flights:

1. Complete the Mabuhay Miles travel award redemption form. You could download a copy from the Mabuhay Miles website. For quick reference, here's a link the Mabuhay Miles redemption form for you.

2. Bring your Mabuhay Miles membership card, photocopy of a valid ID with photo and signature of Mabuhay Miles member, and photocopy of passport for international travel. Make sure you have these documents on hand to avoid the hassle of searching for a photocopier when the PAL customer service representative asks for them.

3. If you plan to have someone redeem for you, make sure you have a letter of authorization and a photocopy of your representative's valid ID with photo and signature.

Redeeming Mabuhay Miles may sound so attractive since you're paying practically nothing for the flight. This may be true for the time when Cebu Pacific was not in the picture yet. Before, I could redeem my Mabuhay Miles and fly to Manila from Cebu for Php900 only. That time, the taxes and fuel surcharges weren't too bloated yet.

Make sure you check for the best rates when redeeming your precious Mabuhay Miles. I accompanied my friend one time to inquire about a possible Cebu-Manila award ticket redemption from Mabuhay Miles, but we quickly found out that a Mabuhay Miles award ticket costs around as much as a normal flight from Cebu Pacific. The PAL representative told us we had to pay Php4,000 for fuel surcharges and fees to redeem an award ticket from Mabuhay Miles. A Cebu Pacific flight costs around Php2,000 per way as well. It just goes to show the Mabuhay Miles offerings are not as lucrative as before.

If you really want to redeem those Mabuhay Miles since they're expiring anyway, make sure you book early. The seats that they offer for this are very limited, and they require you to book at least 10 days in advance. The best way to go for the best deal is scouting for the lowest price in the market. The local airlines are competing heavily for the share of the market, so better check who's offering the best deal on your travel date.

11.09.2008

In my last blog entry, I shared with you guys pics from my Bohol Bee Farm visit. Let me treat you now to a short guide to Bohol Bee Farm's food selections.

Dishes at the Bohol Bee Farm are prepared with great care and attention to detail. They use the best organic ingredients, and most of them are cultivated from their own farm. Guests are treated to a wide selection of uniquely Bohol Bee Farm dishes. They have everything from soups, salads, pasta, pizza, meat, seafood, sandwiches, sweets and even a kiddie menu for the little ones.

On our first visit, my friend and I ordered a few dishes. For our appetizer, we got Bohol Bee Farms delicious camote bread with herb, mango and honey spreads. The camote bread is soft and it has the slightest hint of sweet taste to it. The camote bread was good, but what we particularly loved were the spreads which brought a unique taste for every bite of camote bread. The best pick for me is the mango spread. It wasn't too sweet and its taste would make anyone come back for more. This appetizer is definitely a must-try for any Bohol Bee Farm guest.

My friend got the Vegetarian Pasta (Php180). It's spaghetti mixed with assorted organic herbs and vegetables. The serving is very generous. We could hardly finish the single serving that they gave us.

For the main course, I got a Grilled Marlin (Php240). It came with organic garden salad on the side and organic red rice with broiled camote. The sauce that they provide is not plain toyo. It really complements the grilled marlin perfectly. For their organic salad, you are invited to try out the organic flowers. Yes, you can also eat flowers and it makes the salad dish very colorful. Aside from the usual mix of greens and vegetables, you are treated to new organic ingredients which paint your salad with yellow, blue and pink hues! Don't be intimidated by the unique ingredients. These flowers just taste a lot like leafy greens.

I cannot fully describe how heavenly all the dishes at Bohol Bee Farm tasted. It's best that you better experience it for yourself. Head to Bohol Bee Farm the next time you visit Bohol.

11.05.2008

I've been to Bohol countless times, but it was only on my last trip that I was able to go to Bohol Bee Farm. On our way back to Cebu, we decided to have lunch at Bohol Bee Farm since our trip is still scheduled at 4pm. After checking out from Dumaluan Beach Resort at noon, we arranged for a taxi that would take us to Bohol Bee Farm then to the pier afterwards.

The first thing that you see when you enter the Bohol Bee Farm compound are actually their gardens. The Bohol Bee Farm serves its own harvests from this farm. When you get to the main venue, a souvenir shop greets you. With their colorful displays, you will definitely be encouraged to stop and look at the items. Since we were hungry at that time, we glanced over the selections and proceeded to the dining area located downhill.

The entrance to the dining area is a mini preview of what's in store. The welcome sign to Bohol Bee Farm is followed by well-arranged vines that form an arc, soothing in sight to the Bohol Bee Farm guests.

The Bohol Bee Farm dining area is open air and very welcoming. When we arrived, there were a lot of Korean tourists and they were having buffet for lunch. We proceeded further to get a table overlooking the sea.

While we were waiting for our food, we took our chance to explore the place. I think Bohol Bee Farm is really designed with the comfort of their guests in mind. There were a lot of comfortable seats to sink and relax in. They even have hammocks nearby, allowing the guests to lie down and rest.

On my first visit, I saw that Bohol Bee Farm is an amazing place and I know that there still are lots of interesting things to see there. It's too bad that I only had a few hours to spend in that place on my first visit to the famous Bohol Bee Farm. I'd definitely be back there again.

Aside from the great venue, Bohol Bee Farm serves excellent, EXCELLENT food in my opinion. I'm very excited to share the pics and my story with you guys tonight. However, I would have to reserve the details of my food experience in Bohol Bee Farm for a separate entry, simply because I think it truly deserves its own spotlight.

How To Get To Bohol Bee Farm

Bohol does not have a lot of public transportation options for their travellers. To get to Bohol Bee Farm, hire a taxi from your resort. They usually charge double the meter and a certain fee for waiting while you're at the venue. Talk to the driver to make sure you get a good rate.

Has anyone else tried Globe Visibility? For travellers on the go, it would really be nice if an Internet connection is readily available. This would also greatly aid business travellers like me. Our company issued us Globe Visibility devices so they could reach us anywhere, anytime. We had to say goodbye to those excuses on how we cannot check our emails. Boo.

Globe Visibility is marketed as a device which lets you connect to the Internet whereever there's a Globe signal. Sounds promising, eh? Unfortunately, I haven't enjoyed the benefits this product has promised to offer.

Here's my experience so far:

Globe signal is strong, but it's hard to connect. It seems like the Globe Visibility device cannot be detected properly by my laptop.

When I do get to connect successfully (yehey!), the connection disappears 10 minutes later.

On why the Globe Visibility device cannot be detected, I'm not really sure if it has to do anything with my USB ports. However, 3/3 failed USB ports are unusual.

I do hope this technology will get better in time. I hope a Globe service personnel reads this post, and actually take this review to heart.

11.03.2008

Taking inspiration from kegler747 and realizing that I have a lot of travel photos to share, I'm going to start Photo Mondays which will feature destinations I've been to and travel photos I particularly like.

If you're looking for value accommodation among the wide selection of Bohol resorts in Panglao, then you should check out Dumaluan Beach Resort. It's actually beside Bohol Beach Club, the more popular among island resorts in Panglao, yet Dumaluan offers rooms at more affordable rates.

Location

Dumaluan Beach resort is located at a more serene side of Panglao. The view from this Bohol resort is picture-perfect. Any tourist would love basking in the fine white sand, enjoying the sight of the sky merging with the sea with huge white clouds looming over the horizon. Unlike Boracay, people here are lesser in number. One could easily read a good book and relax under the shade of nearby trees.

Accommodation & AmenitiesRoom rates start at Php1300 for a Standard Aircon Room, Php2150 for a Deluxe Room, and the suites start at Php2500. At the time we got a reservation, most of the resorts in Panglao were fully booked. In Dumaluan, we were able to get a family room for Php3500. The family room did not offer much, except a LOT of space and a heater in the shower. The room and the bathroom were very spacious, and the bed was probably bigger than normal.

What I liked is that I get to have breakfast by the sea, even if the breakfast selection is not too amazing. They simply offered us a choice of longganisa or hotdog with egg, and beverage choices of coffee, tea or juice.

I also liked their big pool. The water went as deep as 8ft, and there's a small kiddie pool on the side. If you're like me who gets to catch up on her exercise only when swimming, then you'd really enjoy this pool. I got to do a few laps in the morning sun, and there weren't a lot of people yet. Pool is open until 10pm, and the rooms are just nearby so it's a short walk to a quick shower after a dip.

Food
I'm not too enthralled with the food that the resort offers. What I liked though is that there's a small dining place nearby wherein you could have the freshest catch cooked for you. Choose from a variety of fishes like lapu-lapu, blue marlin, and bangus and they will cook it to your liking. They have meat selections too. Prices are cheap. I ordered grilled blue marlin (Php120) with rice and mais con yelo (Php45) and I got it for less than Php200! You get to dine in nearby cottages, and enjoy the view of the sea. This is definitely a unique Panglao island experience.

ServiceThe staff at Dumaluan Beach Resort in Panglao are helpful, but they're not cheerful nor polite. They did accommodate our requests like taxi and dolphin watching, but it seemed like they weren't happy doing so. It would be a big plus if their staff learned to smile once in a while.

How to Get There
Hire a taxi from Tagbilaran City in Bohol to get to Dumaluan Beach Resort in Panglao. The usual rate to Panglao is double the meter rate, which is approximately Php350. You are free to haggle with the driver on the best rate. It's more economical to travel in a group so you could spread the cost among you. Travel time from Tagbilaran to Panglao is about 30 minutes.

11.02.2008

Cebu has been named 7th best island destination in the world for 2008, according to Conde Nast Traveller Magazine. The list of the best cities, islands, hotels, transportation and resorts worlwide was recently released in New York based on the results of the 21st annual Readers' Choice Awards 2008.

Cebu has occupied the 7th rank three times: 2008, 2007 and 2004. In 2005 and 2006, Cebu ranked as the 8th best island destination in the world.